Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.35 – September 2008

 

Look, Watch and Be Utterly Amazed

 

A Sermon by Rev John Zuidema

Sermon 1 of 6 on Habakkuk

Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-11; Matthew 25:31-46

Suggested Singing: BoW 98a; 418; 379; 356; 520

Beloved people of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you ever tend to despair about the church, the bride of Christ? Allow me to just mention a few things that I sometimes despair about when it comes to the church universal.

The church is only just coming to terms with the many abuses that have gone on in their leadership with young boys and girls over the last forty odd years. Some churches endorse homosexuality as a legitimate alternative lifestyle even though Scripture clearly teaches otherwise. And I cry out, “Lord how long will you let this go on in the church, the bride of Christ, for she is to be pure and holy!”

Some church leaders no longer teach that Christ is the only way of salvation. Anything that has a hint of miraculous about it is disregarded as purely fiction. We have preachers who no longer believe in the virgin birth, the miracles, the bodily, physical resurrection, and some even don’t know whether they believe in heaven anymore and hell has been rejected as too horrid for a loving God.

And when I consider the sins of individuals that have brought the reputation of the church into disrepute, I have more reason to despair. Christian leaders have been guilty of adultery. Others are arrested for child pornography. These things and other such things harm the Christian church no end and especially the name of the Lord!

There are Christian fathers and mothers who are walking away from their covenant responsibility to love each other and teach their children the ways of the Lord. Instead of being an example to the world they live in, they say it’s my life and I will do what I like. As a direct result, many grand-parents can no longer see and enjoy their grand-children. Painful!

We see some of our young people rejecting the sign and seal of baptism. We see some who have even made a credible profession of faith walking away from their vows and God’s promises of his covenantal love.

And these things are so painful, not just for families but also for ministers and elders who have been given the charge to keep the body of Christ pure and holy and for all those who love the Church of Jesus Christ. So we can easily identify with Habakkuk, “How long Lord must I call out?”

Now I can hear people saying, “John [ insert your own name ] you should pray about this”. Well let me tell you I do pray about these things — and often. And I am sure that you along with me call on God to intervene where there is corrupt leadership and a false gospel proclaimed. We pray that the Lord will do something about the injustice we see. We pleadingly call on God to save marriages and to heal our relationships and our sick and to hear the prayers of the righteous — after all that is what his Word says.

The psalmist says in Psalm 146:8, “The LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.” Proverbs 15:9 says, “The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.” Well, where are you God? How long O Lord must I call for help?

Congregation, do you share my concern for the Lord Jesus’ name and his Church? If you do, then listen to Habakkuk’s complaint.

The time of the prophecy of Habakkuk is just before the exile of the southern kingdom of Judah and their defeat at the hands of the Babylonians, about 610 BC. The book is about a prophet who complains to God about his seeming non-action when it comes to the corrupt and morally bankrupt behaviour of God’s own covenant people. And the prophet asks, “God how long will you allow it to go on? Why don’t you do something?”

In this book, Habakkuk does not address the people directly, but he speaks to God. Usually a prophet will call on God’s people to repent, but it seems that the time for repentance has past! So Habakkuk complains to God.

Now when God answers he speaks both to Habakkuk and to the people. In this first section we have Habakkuk’s first complaint, verses 1-4; and God’s answer to that complaint in verses 5-11. It is obvious that Habakkuk is not a “Deist” for he believes that God knows and is involved in the things that go on in this world. He doesn’t believe that God created and that the world is just ticking away like a clock to its final end without any more involvement from God.

Habakkuk has been praying for some time. “How long Lord before you act?” Habakkuk has cried out “violence”, and God hasn’t done anything. In verse 3 it seems as though Habakkuk is blaming God for causing him to look at injustice. That’s interesting isn’t it? For a mere sinner to behold injustice is one thing, but for a holy God to tolerate it, to see evil, and to do nothing about it — that seems almost beyond comprehension.

Habakkuk has to look continually at destruction and violence (vs 3). These words often appear in the reverse order in Scripture (Jer 6:7; 20:8; Ezek 45:9), but here, destruction comes first meaning “violent treatment causing desolation” and then violence — “malicious conduct intended to injure another.” As a result, strife and conflict abounds.

And yet the greatest tragedy is that God’s covenant law is paralysed. It has become cool and numbed. The people no longer obey for many don’t believe God to be of any consequence. In many ways the people are behaving as deists! God is no longer involved, they think.

God’s law was very particular about justice. In Deuteronomy 16:18 we read, “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.” But now justice is gone, and what remains is perverted and the wicked have it all over the righteous. And so the prophet calls out for God to do something; “How long O Lord, must I call for help?” All this sounds rather familiar with our world and even some of our churches today.

Now before you discard Habakkuk’s complaint and accuse him of being too fanatical or over the top, remember the situation. God’s people had been saved from Egypt. They had been given a land with milk and honey. They had enjoyed God’s love and protection. All God asked of them was that they love him above all else and their neighbour as well! But they no longer did so!

Habakkuk’s words are the expression of loyalty to God. Habakkuk is convinced that God is all-righteous, and that God wants righteousness in his people. And Habakkuk also believes that God should enforce it when necessary!

Jeremiah, a prophet of the time of the exile sums up the condition of the people in Chapter 23:10. “The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the desert are withered. The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.” And Habakkuk keeps crying out to God, “How long Lord, must I call and you do not listen?”

Well God does listen and does answer. But what an answer is recorded for us in verses 5-11! “LOOK” he says, “WATCH, and be UTTERLY AMAZED” (Hebrew imperatives, commands). I am going to do something in your day that you will not believe. This is going to be spectacular.

Oh the people of God know that God can do amazing things. The Exodus was such an event (Judges 6:13), the Conquest of the Promised Land was such an event (Psalm 44:2).

However, this event would surpass them all. But this time God’s work was not for salvation, but for judgment. Judah’s sin would not go unchecked forever. Justice was not dead. Discipline was forthcoming and correction was on the way. But here is the great surprise: Look at whom God was going to use to dispense his discipline!

Verses 6 ff: “I am raising up the Babylonians…” The Babylonians, a ruthless, impetuous people, a dreaded people, a law unto themselves, bent on violence; they were without rival and they promoted their own honour. They are described as a people with fast horses, swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. They are like vultures, looking for something to devour! They scoff at kings and ridicule rulers.” Their brutality can be seen in the way they treated Zedekiah after Jerusalem fell (2 Kings 25:7). Fortified cities were turned to earthen mounds.

This was terrible. Jeremiah wrote about the Babylonians devouring everything in their path, including fields, people, animals, trees, and cities (Jer 5:17). For the Babylonians, might was god, they trusted in their own strength.

It is little wonder that God declared them guilty for such sacrilege. But right now God was going to use them! God was going to use a crooked stick to strike a straight blow. God’s amazing answer left the prophet even more perplexed and bewildered. Judgment was on its way. It would be like having the extreme terrorist elements we see around the world being used by God to correct his people.

The prophet was amazed, just as God said he would be (vs 5). As a matter of fact if you read on, Habakkuk’s second complaint to God is a wondering lament that God would employ such an evil instrument to punish Judah! Yet that is exactly what God is going to do. It shows he is not just God over his covenant people, he is God over all peoples and he will use whoever and whenever to fulfil his purposes.

Congregation, the lack of faithfulness by God’s covenant people often causes us to despair. Why does God allow things to happen that damage the church? Why does he permit the bride of Christ to be so full of impostors and false teachers and members who are not even Christians?

Of course, non-Christians are quick to supply an answer. They say, “You are being deceived anyhow — there is no God and it is no use thinking there is one.” And the reason they say this is because of the apparent inactivity of God. The poet, William Cowper, said, “God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform,” but many people are blind to it, especially those not of the faith.

Congregation, we have to recognise that there are times when we just cannot understand how God is moving. God is so unorthodox. The instruments he chooses are sometimes so out of the ordinary.

Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are not your thoughts neither your ways my ways.” This is not because he delights to puzzle us, but because the varieties of his workings are so infinite that our feeble human minds cannot grasp them.

God was in control in Habakkuk’s day, he still is today, even when it doesn’t seem evident to us. He is still watching over the bride of Christ although to us it may seem that so often things are turning to custard.

Do you despair? Then do what God told Habakkuk and his people to do. LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed, if the things I tell you now were not written down in God’s Word, you would never believe.

After creating a beautiful world in which human beings could enjoy perfect fellowship with their Creator, our first parents gave it all way because they were not satisfied with their lot in life. Sin entered and man would die. You would think that God would start all over again! Yet already in Genesis 3:15 God shows his love and he promises that a child was to be born who would eventually defeat the devil.

And to bring that about, God calls and saves a people for himself. The nation of Israel, which by human standards was of no consequence. He brings them out of the land of slavery. He defeats Pharaoh and all his army. He causes the nation to pass through the Red Sea on dry ground! He brings them to the Promised Land and he gives them kings and wins their battles.

But still these people do not love God as they should. Oh those wicked, stiff necked people! And so God punishes by raising up the Babylonians to bring them into exile. Yet, even in Habakkuk’s day, God did not destroy them completely. He remembers his covenant promises, and he causes this sinful nation to repent and he brings them back from exile. Does that amaze you?

LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed. Some 400 years later, a baby of little consequence was born in a stable, a manger for his bed. This baby was God’s own Son. God was bringing about salvation, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, yes in a mysterious way, beyond our understanding; but God was working in history. Salvation history was taking its course. God was not asleep!

LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed. God sent him, this little child to be the Saviour of the world. He lived a sinless life. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He taught the people about God’s Word.

And yet see how the Lord wins his victory through evil men. Just as he used the Babylonians in Habakkuk’s day, so now, in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ, he uses evil men who hate God to work out his purposes of both judgment and salvation. The leaders of God’s people hated him, so much that they nailed him to a cross and he died a painful cruel death. But look at the amazing consequences of their evil rebellion against God and against his Son. Jesus died in our place, an innocent One for the guilty, so that we believing may have our sins forgiven and may receive eternal life. Are you utterly amazed by that, or does it seem rather plain to you?

LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed. He rose from the grave; death could not hold him. And now he reigns with the Father in glory. And by his death and resurrection he has made a place ready for us! LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed. He gave us his Holy Spirit; he lives in our hearts until the close of the age. Now are you amazed? Surely you must be!

But hey, have I forgotten something? This passage is about judgment! God punished Judah for her many sins, they were sent into exile for 70 years. So please LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed, for he is coming back as judge!

The winnowing fork is in his mighty hand. And God’s Word says that those who believe in his Son will be given eternal life and “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur” (Rev 21:8). No second chance after that; no return from the lake of fire.

Is this the first time that you have heard such words of judgment? Yes, I know we always talk about heaven — that is what Christians do and we do often, but today our text is about judgment! Perhaps you are not a Christian. Please don’t despair for we know the way of salvation. “Love the Lord your God; believe in his Son and the promise is that you will be saved to eternal life.” So simple, so wonderfully simple!

The Scriptures are clear and they warn that those who don’t love the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, will never enjoy eternal life with God. Why would you want to go down that road? Turn, turn from your evil ways and live!

Lord, how much longer will you tarry? Dear Christian, just a little longer. Until the number of the elect are full. Then you will LOOK, WATCH, be UTTERLY amazed once more. For then we shall see our victorious Saviour returning on the clouds of heaven. And he will take us who believe with him to glory.

And he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. No more marriage break-ups. No more crying over unseen grand-children. No more starvation, no more war. No more death, or mourning, or sickness. No more crying or pain. No more corruption and false ministers of religion. All things will be new — sin-free! No more reason for despair! Come Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Amen.