How Long?
A Series in Habakkuk
Joy in Suffering
December 31, 2017 • Pastor Bill Riedel
This is the final chapter in this prophetic book. After the Lord had spoken through chapter 2, Habakkuk responded with a prayer. His prayer is again helpful for us. We have already seen that it is good for us to come before God in open lament, and that His plans will not always make sense to us in the moment, but that we can trust that God is good and sovereign. Now we see what it looks like to truly live by faith, even in suffering. The difficult things that God warned Habakkuk about were not eliminated, but Habakkuk still is able to respond with worship and rejoicing.
Woe to God's Enemies
December 17, 2017 • Pastor Bill Riedel
In this passage, God continues His answer to Habakkuk, but it takes a hard turn. After detailing the profile of the wicked, and calling the righteous to live by faith, God went on to mock the arrogant Chaldeans. There are five "Woes" in this passage, but it could also be taken or translated as five "Ha's!" It's an important passage for us because it shows that even when the world seems like it is descending into chaos and like God is silent, that all is not as it seems. The wickedness and injustice will not win in the end, and those who advance them will ultimately answer to God. This passage gives us a continued outline of the brokenness of the human condition, and the splendor of God.
The Righteous Live by Faith
December 10, 2017 • Pastor Bill Riedel
Last week we saw the despair of the prophet’s complaint, and that what he saw continues to reverberate through today – that violence, wickedness, and injustice are everywhere and it can feel like God is distant from it all. God’s answer was that He is active, and has a plan, but that we wouldn’t believe it if we knew what He was doing. This week we see that God laid out His plan to Habakkuk, and it seemed, at least to the prophet, to be a very bad plan! This is so often the case in our own experience. Even if we believe and accept that God is engaged and working in our world, and in our lives, it can feel like His plan just doesn’t make sense. This weekend we will see where we can find hope and how we can make sense of God’s plans, even when they don’t mesh with our own.
God Has A Plan
December 3, 2017 • Pastor Bill Riedel
Habakkuk is a powerful book that expresses the cry and complaint of the prophet, and receives God’s answer. How can God use a wicked nation for His purposes and glory? Where is He in the midst of suffering? How long will God wait to bring righteousness and justice, and fulfillment of His promises?