Learning to Trust God When He Uses Evil
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
7/24/2016 PM
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Text:
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Habakkuk 1:12-2:3
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Psalters: |
377, 249, 126, 71 |
- The troubling occasion.
- Every child of God experiences “much tribulation” (Acts 14:22; Rom. 5:3), “persecution” (II Tim. 3:12), temptation (James 1:2).
- We all have experienced hurts from sinners.
- Habakkuk describes the seeming ease with which the wicked evilly destroyed the church – like fishermen (14-17).
- Habakkuk questions how a holy God could use such an unholy nation to punish a people more righteous than they.
- Habakkuk and we ask, “Why does God hold His tongue? (13b) (cf. Jer. 12:1,2).
- When we are confused by God’s actions, we must remind ourselves of what we know from His Word about God.
- His names and attributes describe His relationship to His chosen and undeserving people.
- Draw conclusions from the truths: He does not violate His personal holiness and His relationship with the church.
- First, “we shall not die” (12) refers to spiritual life (relationship with God).
- Also we are to know that our God is Judge, having “ordained them (the wicked) for judgment.”
- And, God is pleased to use “them for correction” (Prov. 3:11,12).
- This knowledge enables us to wait on and for Jehovah (especially realizing that He is on a different time table than we are).
- “I will stand my watch, …and will watch to see what He will say unto me” (2:1).
- God tells Habakkuk to write the vision in very large letters as in a public notice, so easily and repeatedly read.
- God has revealed to Habakkuk what was going to take place: the Chaldeans would be destroyed in “an appointed time.”
- The appointed time marks “the end,” when all our troubles will come to an end (Ps. 37:2; 73:17).
- “Though it tarry, wait for it” (2:3) (cf. Matt. 13:27-30,40-42).