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message. Thank you, Stefan.
Good morning, everyone. Good morning.
So good to to see you all. We missed you last week.
So it's good to be home. We'll.
Be back here. Amen.
And so. If you have your bibles with
you. Please turn with me to Habakkuk
Chapter 1. Habakkuk is one of those.
Books that take you. Two hours to find.
So please feel free to go to the table.
Of contents and see what Habakkuk is and intend to.
Chapter. 1 and I know that. Stefan has walked.
Through the introduction and. He worked through verse.
One and verse and to verse. 4 of Habakkuk chapter.
One. And so this morning, we'll read.
From verse 5 to verse. 11 look among the nations and see wonder
and be astounded, for I am doing a work in your days that you
would not. Believe if told, behold.
I am raising up the Chaldeans that bitter and haste the nation
who much. Through the breath of the earth
to seize. The dwellings not their own.
They are dreaded and fearsome. Their justice and dignity go
forth from. Themselves.
Their horses. Are swifter than leopards, more
fierce than the evening wolves, their horsemen pressed proudly
on. Their horsemen come from afar.
They. Fly like an eagle.
Swift to devour they all. Come for violence.
All their faces forward, they gather captives like.
Sand at kings they. Scoff.
And at rulers. They laugh, they laugh at their
at every fortress, for they pile.
Up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the
wind, and go on guilty man, whose own might is their God.
Lord, we are so. Grateful this morning to to sit
under your. Word this is.
The word. Inspired by the Holy Spirit,
this is our Lord the. Infallible Word.
And so, Lord, we ask this morning, that come and dwell
among us through the preaching of Your Word.
Instruct. Our hearts of God.
This morning we want to hear from you Lord this morning, so
please come and speak to us in Jesus name, Amen.
Few years. Ago I heard a.
Pastor. Theologian by the name.
Of Gerald's sister. He was sharing a story, perhaps,
that I will never. Forget, he says.
In 1991. He was.
Driving with his family and it so happens that a drunk driver
hit them. In the car was his mother, his
children and his wife. All of them died and the
jealous. Sister reflects.
On what had happened, he writes the following in the early.
Hours that followed the initial shock gave way.
To unspeakable agony, I. Felt dizzy with grief, Vertigo
cut off from. Family and friends tormented by
the loss, not just from pain after arriving from.
Hospital I paced the floor like a caged.
Animal and then he. Says I was so bewildered that I
was. Unable to voice questions or
think rationally and as he. Shared that story.
He shares that story. Crying for he has lost.
His entire family in the split of a second when we think about
Christianity and perhaps we consider.
This story, this. Morning we may.
As well also feel like Habakkuk who has a lot of.
Questions. That.
All of us often ask God. Questions that God please.
Give us answers. To the questions that we have.
For all of us, and perhaps some of us this morning may desire
ease and quick answers from God. And say God, where are you
please? Speak to me and some of us may
even bargain with God and say. God if I do.
This and that, surely you will answer me.
For some of us we may say God. You know.
I am your. Child, therefore, I deserve to
be healthy, to be wise, to be safe.
Not only that. Oh God, but I deserve to be
protected. From the forces.
Of darkness we all. Have an expectation of.
How God ought to act, We expect it.
As you will see in Habakkuk, God does not often.
Act the way. We want him to act.
For many of us, even this morning, as we even look at Cape
Town and think about our own country, that on.
Tuesday this week. And Wednesday this.
Week about. 30 matters were reported in Cape Town and it
may. Feel as though that evil is.
Winning. That sin is winning, that
wickedness is winning. And in those moments.
We ask ourselves, God, where are you?
As innocent people die in our city and as I was reflecting on
that. Isaiah chapter 55.
Came to my mind. For it says.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways.
And so we may ask ourselves. The question this morning.
Why is this? Happening to me.
Why is this even taking? Place, but the bigger question.
We often ask is. Does God care?
Why? Do the wicked.
Seem to. Prosper, but the righteous seem
to suffer. God where?
Are you in our Dark World? Where are you?
As you would see in the moment that Habakkuk is struggling with
this question, he's struggling with the nature.
Of God. He's struggling.
With the character of. God because what he is about to
see. To him, doesn't seem to align.
With his theology, but. Also with his knowledge of the
Triune and so the the. Prophet.
Is confronted with this and so as we.
Read. Habakug, I want to give you a
sense and I know that Stefan has has hammered some of this.
I want the rabbit stamp and perhaps he remind you.
That Habakug writes. In a time, in fact.
This is a prophet. Of lament.
He's writing in a time. Where Israel has backslidden.
Where there is moral. Decay where there is.
Wickedness and violence and where injustice has gone
rampant. There, in the brink of invasion,
the economy is collapsing, there is famine, and Hapakog writes at
a time where the Law of Moses. Is paralyzed.
The Torah is neglected. Where good?
Men are silent and. Evil has the stage.
Where justice is not. Upheld by.
Those who are entrusted. To uphold it, the.
Courts would punish the innocent and they would release.
The guilty. The judges.
Would ignore the powerful and the connected and in fact
punish. The weak.
And the poor not only that, the people of God and the kings at
this time would take their children, and they would go to
the altar and sacrifice their. Kids to the go.
False God Molech At this time, God is watching all of.
This that, as he. Looks at the temple, he is not
seeing the true worship. That ought to be there.
Rather, there is false worship at the.
Temple. And so Habakkuk is finding
himself at the point where he's going to pray and come before
God because he's hoping God will do something about.
This that the people of God. Are no longer worshipping truly,
but Russia religion has. Become ritualistic.
They simply do it. Because they are Jews.
And the people. Of God have become.
More wicked and God raised this man by the name of Habakkuk.
A servant of God, A prophet. To go and speak.
And this is a dialogue. Between him and God, but to
communicate the message of. God to God's people.
And if you know something about the Old Testament, prophets were
not very popular. Prophets were never the darlings
of the. World.
Rather often pop prophets were spoken against and often people
wanted to stone their prophets. Because they were.
Speaking the very word. Of God.
And God raises this. Prophet.
His name means. In fact, his name means an
Embracer. Because Habakkuk.
Is going to embrace the burden of Judah the burden?
Of Israel, of a people. That have gone astray.
But also he will. Embrace his strong faith in God.
Here is the challenge for Habakkuk.
He knows. God is good.
And yet. What he sees.
Around him makes him struggle to connect.
That with the character of God as you would see.
And so. As you read.
Chapter 1 and chapter. Two, you will see that this is a
dialogue A. Conversation between Habakkuk
and God in chapter 3. You will see that Habakkuk
prays. He not only prays.
But he writes a poem, a. Poem in a form of.
Worship that's ought to be played with.
An instrument. And so that's what we see that
he. Is going to complain.
But yet that complaint. Is going to be forward.
By Habakkuk's faith. That is presented in.
Chapter 3. So what's happening here from a
prophets perspective, seeing all of that is happening, all of
that that is taking place, he wants God to do something about
the violence and the injustice. He's saying God, why do you
allow people to blasphemy? Your name?
Why do you allow violence? Why?
Do you allow this? Kind of.
False worship. Why?
Don't you do something? About this Lord evil.
Is advancing and yet you are silent God, Why?
Does it feel? As though you are inactive.
God do something. Let me ask you a question this
morning. How do?
You feel. When God does not.
Meet your. Expectations.
I know how I would feel, but I'm asking how.
Do you feel? When the when we want God to do
something, to act on something and it feels.
As though God is silent. As though God has deserted us.
As though God. Is no longer.
With us how? Do we reconcile?
God's character with the reality that we face.
Now. And so Habakkuk cries in verse
2. How long, O Lord?
Will I cry for help? And you will not hear me.
I cry out to you, violence, yet you do.
Not. Save.
Habakkuk is confused. Lord, I'm crying out to you.
Why are you? Not answering me, you see what
is happening. Therefore, God act.
Challenging part is that when our own knowledge of God when
our own. Theology of God is tested.
When we know something of. God, but yet.
We don't feel like God is answering our prayers.
Have you been in a place, perhaps even this morning, where
you feel, God, I need your answer now.
I we need that. My wife and I, just like
Stephen, prayed for us. It's like, Lord, come on, you
know, do something. You know our situation.
Do something and and you may be in a in a similar place and
position this morning where you want God to act God do something
for some of us this morning We want to make.
Big decisions. And we want God.
To direct our. Path.
As we make those good decisions, we know God.
Is good. But in that moment it feels
though God. Why are you slow?
Why are you not answering my prayer now?
God, you know my health is not that great.
Why are you not healing me now? Because that's what I expect.
When the knowledge of. God is at odds with reality.
And sometimes we. Feel that way as though God is.
Silent can I say you are not alone?
Habakkuk felt that way, as though God.
Is silent, We must remember, as we read the major and the minor.
Prophets in the Bible that God was always.
Warning his people to turn away from sin.
He was. Always warning his.
People to. Not to rebel, not.
To disobey, we see. That in Jeremiah, Ezekiel and
Zephaniah and other prophets where God says come on guys,
come to me, turn away from your wickedness and come to me and
often. The people of God.
Ignored God. They would go back to their
false gods. Over and over committing.
Spiritual adultery and yet. God will continue to say come to
me, come to me, the point I want us to see.
Here is that God? Is not going to ignore.
Habakkuk's prayer God. Is going to deal.
With it, here's the. Point.
God does not ignore rebellion. God does not ignore sin.
God does not ignore wickedness. Let me remind.
You if we're. Involved in shady business
deals? God does not ignore that.
He'll deal with it. When we are involved in
fraudulent activities, we will one day have God's attention.
When we abuse power. When we steal from the poor,
when we take. Bribes when we lie.
Cheat and steal. Can I say one day we will?
Have. God's attention, Judah.
Had God's. Attention.
He did not ignore what they'd done.
God says I'm going to. Deal with it.
Let's be reminded common ground Weinberg this morning.
That God deals. With these things, he does not
ignore it if we think we. Will get away with it.
We will not. Get away with it.
Why? Because God is.
Always interested in purifying. His church he's not.
Standing on the sideline. But he wants to.
Purify his church and purify his people.
And so we see in that verse one and verse. 4 if Habakkuk.
'S complaint and God is reminding Habakkuk.
Now listen, I'm going to answer you.
It's quite interesting that God never takes a nap.
God never goes on a vacation. He's listening.
But also God will act. And Habakkuk at this point in
time. He is.
Expecting an answer that God deal with this and God says OK,
I'm going to deal with it in verse.
Five, he says. OK, this is what I'm going to do
Habakkuk. Listen to me, look at the
nations and observe. Be utterly astounded, for I am
doing a work in your days that you would not never believe if
someone told you. God is like saying Habakkuk I.
Am going to do something but guess what?
What I'm about to do, Habakkuk, you're not going to believe.
In fact, it's going to take. You by surprise.
And he tells him in verse 6 what he's going to do.
Notice that for behold, I am raising the.
Chaldeans. That fierce and violent people
who marched throughout the earth and sees dwelling places which
are not. Theirs so habakkuk.
Judah has sinned. People of.
God has sinned. Guess what?
I'm going to raise. Up.
Babylonians. The Chaldeans.
And guess what they're going to do?
They're going to be my discipline to my people.
This does not make sense. How does?
God. Take an evil nation.
To. Discipline his own people.
And God said I'm going to do that.
I'm going to take Babylon. And they will chastise.
You, they will discipline you. I'm going to use an evil nation
for my good and for my own purposes.
Why you need this discipline? And I was saying.
What? Of all things God can do, you're
going to. Use the Chaldeans, these guys.
God says yes. I'm going to use them.
Isn't it quite interesting that when we often we expect God to
answer our prayers in a specific way and God surprises us in how
he answers us? For some of you, oh Lord, you
know, you know, take me to Mauritius.
I want to go and plant a church in Mauritius.
And then he says no, no, no, no, no, no.
Just you go into the Middle East, buddy.
That's where you need it. OK.
And so sometimes God answers in unexpected ways.
Abakuk needed an answer. God gives him an answer, but
it's. Not what he.
Expected. Sometimes God answers in ways in
which do not align with our own aspirations.
We have plans, we have dreams and all these kind of things.
But sometimes God does things in his own way.
I remember Simon Pettit, some of you might might know him or not
know him. He was part of the he was one of
the founders of Jubilee Community Church.
I remember him saying something along the lines that we are not
safe in the hands of God and he was not.
Talking about. Protection.
In that sense, he was actually saying sometimes God can do
things that you do not expect. God can shake your world in a
moment. God can take you in An
Unexpected Journey in a moment. God does that at times.
In addition, George Mueller, who was an evangelist in England
between the 1800s, he made a statement in one of his books.
He says the following. That he.
He prayed. He made 50,000 requests to God
and 30,000. Of those requests.
Were answered in one hour or in one day.
Oh man, I. Wish out of 50. 1000 Gods
Answers 30,000 in one hour or in one day.
And those who know church history will know that.
That's true. This man was looking after
orphans and vulnerable children, and he was having.
Provisions every day. Things that he was praying for.
So God at times answers in unexpected.
Way so God will raise up the Chaldeans to.
Discipline God's people. This is unthinkable.
To Habakkuk how? Can you?
Do this. And God says I am going to do
this. I'm going to use an evil nation
to fulfill my purpose, the godless.
People will achieve. My plan, God says I am going to
do it and Habakkuk is going to be big.
And then God not only tells her about what he's going to do, he
tells them the kind. Of people the Chaldeans are.
I mean, it's like God is making it worse.
Like, guys, I'm going to discipline you, but can I tell
you the guys that are coming are violent?
What? God not only telling us that
you're going to discipline us, but you're telling us the guys
that are coming are so violent. They are hasty, they are.
Arrogant and you think you're going to use them and God from
verse? 6 to verse 11.
Describes this army to us, not just some of the descriptions it
gives. From verse 6 to verse. 11 from
verse 6 it describes this army. As bitter, as hasty, as fierce,
as ruthless. And as violent.
God says. They do not.
Care these guys. They are impulsive.
They are reckless. And they conquer kingdoms and
conquer. People.
And not just in verse 7. He describes them as
lawlessness. This.
Is a lawlessness. Army, they do not follow any
standard because they don't have.
The Torah. These are unbelievers they don't
have. The Torah.
They are feared. They are law.
Unto themselves, saying I'm bringing them to you.
I mean, I would be. I'm thinking probably Habaku.
Would be afraid to hear this. And God says, not only that I'm
not done, there's something else I want you to know about this
army. Habagog They are fast.
They are quick. From verse 8.
They are fast, they are quick. They.
Descend on their enemies like an.
Eagle with precision. What an army.
God says. They're coming to Judah.
They're coming to deal with you. If that's not enough, God says
no, I'm not done. There's something else I want to
tell you about this army, Habagog.
They are formidable. As you see in verse 9, they are.
Violent, these guys. Are violent, they come.
For your spoils. They are ruthless.
They love brutality. They love to conquer nations,
and the description there seems to indicate no one can stop this
army. They come, they capture, and
they. Kill OK God.
That should be enough. No, that's not enough, Habakkuk.
They're coming to do something else.
I want you to know something. Your kings.
This army does not care about your kings.
They mock your kings. They.
Laugh at your. Kings.
They take everything. Your kings are a joke to them.
They will take your city, and they will.
Destroy it. They don't care about.
Authority. And so you, your kingdoms, mean
nothing, and said. Guess what, Habakkuk.
I'm bringing them to Judah and in bringing them they are going
to discipline my. People who've.
Turned away from me. We must be reminded over and
over regarding. God's justice, God.
Is merciful God is loving God is compassionate, God is gracious.
God is good. God is wonderful.
But God is also. Just God at times will.
Express. His goodness through punishing.
Evil God does that. The best picture.
Of the one who took upon himself.
God's. Justice is Christ himself,
Christ who is innocent, and man had sinned against God, man.
Had decoded God and. Now man needed to be reconciled
to God and because. God is the just God.
You can't just say OK, it's. Fine, let.
Let's let bygones be. Bygones know the penalty of sin
must be. Paid.
Someone must pay the penalty of sin and so.
Christ will take. Upon himself the wrath.
Of God he will. Drink.
The cup of suffering. And taking upon himself.
God's justice, because that is God's character.
He is not only. Good, but God is.
Also just and so God must. Deal with evil.
And can I remind us this morning?
That he will deal with it. Even for some of us this morning
who think. Perhaps God is.
Distant and absent cannot say he may not deal with it now, or in
a manner that we expect him to deal with.
But he will deal. With it, notice in Revelations
2012 and I saw the dead, the great and small standing before
the throne, and books were open. Then another book was open,
which is the book. Of life and the dead were judged
by what was. Written in the books according.
To what they had. Done.
To. What they had done.
The books will be. Open according to what they had
done. Matthew 12. 36 I tell.
You on the day of judgment, people will give an account.
For every careless word they speak, at least yes, it's 12. 14
God will bring every deed into judgment, probably 521 a man's
ways before. The eyes of the Lord.
The Lord sees everything. God.
Will bring his justice to the earth one day.
He will do it. Just like he's doing it to the
southern Kingdom of Judah. He will do it judge when we
watch our. Television and we see the
corruption. As we watch the.
Different commissions. That we have.
In the ad hoc committee and we see the corruption in our nation
and perhaps in other nations as well.
Can I say to you one day, God? Will deal with that.
God will deal with wickedness. God will deal with evil doers.
He will deal. With unrepentant murderers and
criminals and wicked president, one day all of them will stand
before God and they will give an account.
God. Will deal with it.
God will bring about his justice.
It is not for us to say, Lord, do it now, do it now.
No, the Lord will bring. His justice.
He is a righteous God. He'll do it.
All of them one day will account and will stand.
Before God first. Corinthians 4-5 says therefore
judge nothing before the appointed time.
Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring.
To light what is. Heathen in darkness and will
expose the motors of the heart and at that time.
Each will receive their praise. From God I know at times it made
feel as though we want to take up arms and go and fight, but
can I say leave it in the hands? Of God, God will.
Bring his justice unto this earth number.
Two perhaps also be. Reminded to trust in God's
unchanging. Character there's a there's a
course like. Hymn like a song that we sing
and and what is that? That song's message is about?
Don't trust people as much, but trust God as much.
Put your trust. In God.
Why? Because often, as we can see in
Scripture with many examples that God always encourages.
Us to put our. Trust in him.
Why? Because of his unchanging.
Character God. Is immutable yesterday, today,
and forever remaining the same if God could change.
Or if God could. Be taken by surprise and God
says I did not know that was going to happen then He is not
God. God knows all things.
God has all the power, but also as we read.
As we, as we sang that song this morning, God.
Is good, I am. Asking us this morning.
Just like Harper, Cook. Perhaps did not receive the
answer that. He expected, but as we read.
Further on you will. See that Harper Cook had.
To trust in God's unchanging character.
That God. Remains the same that.
God is wise. That God is.
Holy and the times God is doing something that we do not know
for he. Works out.
All things according to his plan.
His. Purposes and sometimes we don't
know what that. Looks like but we are still
called to trust Christ and place our faith.
In Christ and Christ alone. So be reminded this morning.
To put your trust. In Christ I don't know what you
trust in Christ for this morning, but can I encourage you
this morning to. Place your your faith.
In him, I know that at times that can be hard.
That can be hard at times. But we are called to trust in.
Season, another season. And so I invite to church this
morning. Just like these people of God,
just like Habakkuk. Who's saying God please come and
act, come and do something? And God says yes, I will do
something because Christ is the only one that can rescue us.
And if you are not a Christian this morning, can I remind you?
That the justice of God and the. Judgment of God.
Is still. Upon you this morning because of
original sin. No good works, no good
intention, no moral pursuit can rescue you this morning.
But can I tell you the good news?
Christ has taken all of that. He is, He has.
Taken the wrath of God upon himself, he became the
propitiation on our. Behalf, therefore he calls.
You and draws you to himself this morning.
Do not reject Him this morning, for one day you will stand
before God and you. Will have to give.
An account and God saying come this morning.
Because I've taken. That judgment on your.
Behalf guess what? I want to give you my
righteousness this morning. I want to give it to you.
I want to make you my child, that you belong unto my family,
that your salvation is not something that will end here,
but your salvation is a is. Assured, but also it is a.
Salvation for eternity in Jesus name, Amen.
It's prayer. Thank you for listening to
today's message. We hope you are encouraged and
challenged in your faith. If you're in the Southern
Suburbs, would love to welcome you in person at one of our
serves. Don't forget to subscribe, share
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Until next time, stay clear and keep shining your light.