Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20090906.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Habakkuk: Handling The Problem Of An Evil World In A Good God's Universe
Part II: Understanding How A Good God Can Use The More Wicked To Punish The Less Wicked
(Habakkuk 1:12-2:20)
  1. Introduction
    1. One of the hard challenges to understanding how a Good God can coexist with evil in the universe is to discern how God can use those who are more wicked to punish those who are "relatively" less wicked!
    2. Habakkuk's prophecy "is a theodicy, a defense of God's goodness and power in view of the existence of evil", and Habakkuk 1:12-2:20 answers this question on unusual divine punishment for our edification:
  2. Understanding How A Good God Can Use The More Wicked To Punish The Less Wicked.
    1. After God announced that He was going to bring the more wicked Babylonians to invade and mistreat Judah for its sin, our last lesson from Habakkuk 1:1-11, God's prophet was predictably troubled!
    2. Thus, Habakkuk asked God how He could use a nation more vile than Judah to punish her, Hab. 1:12-2:1:
      1. Habakkuk confessed he knew God was sovereign, righteous and holy, that He had ordained Babylon only to punish and not destroy all of her people, Hab. 1:12-13a; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1511.
      2. Yet, he asked the Lord how He could let the more wicked and powerful Babylonians who fomented out seemingly endless cruelty to punish his helpless and less wicked people of Judah, Habakkuk 1:13b-17.
      3. Fearing God might answer him with a rebuke, but curious as to God's response, Habakkuk said he would watch eagerly for God's answer but expect it to include a reproof, Habakkuk 2:1!
    3. God replied, revealing He intended to USE the Babylonians to DRIVE His people to trust Him humbly versus continuing in sin (Hab. 2:2-4), and that He would eventually punish all sinners (Hab. 2:5-20):
      1. First, God revealed that the news of His sending the Babylonians upon Judah was designed to create a sense of urgency in the people of Judah that they might repent through faith in God, Habakkuk 2:2-4:
        1. Prefacing His answer to Habakkuk's question, God urged Habakkuk to write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so a herald could run with it to make its message stirring, Hab. 2:2.
        2. The events of this revelation would surely occur, so Judah simply had to expect them, Hab. 2:3.
        3. That message was this: (1) anyone, be he in Judah or in Babylon, whose soul was lifted up in proud independence of God was not upright, implying he would be punished, Hab. 2:4a. Yet, (2) the just would survive by humbly trusting in God, Habakkuk 2:4b.
        4. Hence, God planned to use the ANNOUNCEMENT and the ARRIVAL of VILE, CRUEL Babylon to MOVE Judah to REPENT of PROUD INDEPENDENCE of God unto HUMBLY TRUSTING in Him SO THAT GOD in GRACE might PRESERVE them in the INVASION!
      2. Second, God said He would eventually punish all parties for their sin, whoever they were, Hab. 2:5-20:
        1. The Lord announced that arrogant, greedy evildoers would meet their end, Habakkuk. 2:5.
        2. Thus, God gave Habakkuk a taunting song about the wicked (Hab. 2:6a), whoever and wherever they were, detailing the woes that awaited them: (1) God pronounced a "woe" against "greedy usurers" in Judah and in Babylon (Hab. 2:6b-8; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Hab. 2:6); (2) He pronounced a "woe" against all "extortioners who think they are secure," Hab. 2:9-11; Ibid.; (3) God pronounced a "woe" against all of the "rulers who build cities with the blood and sweat of others less fortunate," Hab. 2:12-14; Ibid.; (4) He pronounced a "woe" against all of the "lascivious people who use alcohol as a prelude to perversion," Hab. 2:15-17; Ibid. and (5) He pronounced a final "woe" against all "idolaters who worship inanimate objects," Hab. 2:18-20; Ibid.!
        3. Thus, Habakkuk was to know that God was not apathetic toward any sin: unrepentant sin in Judah and unrepentant sin in Babylon would alike be fully and fairly punished by a perfectly just God!
Lesson: God may use the threat of evil oppression from without to drive one to repent of his own evil by trusting humbly in God. In the end, all sin will be fully judged by God, so we MUST repent of our sin!

Application: (1) If threatened by great evil from WITHOUT, our first order of business before God is to see what evil lies WITHIN our OWN hearts, and by repentance and faith in God find forgiveness and blessing from the Lord! (2) May we let those who question our faith know that the Bible's God is truly just and fair, that seeming appearances to the contrary are actually incorrect views of God!