Creator, Father, King #158

Even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD!

AMONG ALL THE OLD Testament prophets, poor Habakkuk often gets overlooked. But cheer up, buddy! We’re going to give you “The Prophet with the Coolest Name” award. You deserve it.

Habakkuk, who probably lived during the mid-seventh century BC, started his book crying out to God about the pervasive violence and injustice within Judah (Habakkuk 1:2-4). But when God responded that he would use the Babylonians—“a cruel and violent people” (1:6)—to discipline Judah, Habakkuk was stunned. He couldn’t fathom how a holy God could use—at least in his mind—a more wicked empire to punish a less wicked nation.

“You are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil,” Habakkuk said. “Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?” (1:13).

In other words, Habakkuk was wondering, God, where is your justice?

What’s It Mean?

Look around you. Read the headlines. Injustice is everywhere. Maybe you are personally experiencing it right now. It can be easy to ask questions similar to Habakkuk’s: God, you are holy and good. How can you allow this to happen?

But within that question is an admittance of God’s transcendence and majesty. If he is holy (which he is), then he is fully qualified to sovereignly rule his universe on a large scale (nations) and a small scale (individual lives) in ways we might not always fully comprehend. That’s okay. Our job is to trust him.

Eventually, Habakkuk realized that. He started his book questioning God’s justice. He ended it praising God in the midst of uncertainty. Look at his ending prayer:

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

What about you? Are there areas in your life where you question God’s plan or his justice? Trust him even when you don’t understand. Submit to him even when you can’t comprehend. God will always do what is best for his children!

Now What?

If you are enduring hardship and uncertainty, pray through Habakkuk 3:17-18 and apply it to your situation.

Did You Know?

New Testament writers quoted Habakkuk 2:4—“the righteous shall live by his faith” (ESV)—three times (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38) in various contexts. Check them out!