Hab. 1-3

by Paul Ice

After reading today’s reading (Habakkuk 1:3) I was reminded of Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

I want to cheer when I read verse like the one below describing God and how he defends his people.

You went out for the salvation of your people,
for the salvation of your anointed.
You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah
(Habakkuk 3:13 ESV)

But in chapter 1,2,  he asks questions of God that are very similar to the ones we often ask.

After reading his "complaints" against God, and after reading much of Jeremiah I am reminded that our God is complex and at times can be difficult to comprehend. His ways are not our ways and with our limited human perspectives, we sometimes struggle to understand what He is doing in the world and in our lives. The book of Jeremiah paints God as a God of judgment, bringing disaster on His own people for their sin and rebellion against Him. He uses pagan nations to destroy them and taken them into captivity. He allows His own Temple to be destroyed in the process and the Land of Promise to be decimated. The nations who bring about this destruction are actually referred to as God’s instruments. He uses them to bring about His will – to discipline the nations of Israel and Judah. But then God turns around and threatens to bring destruction on these very same nations for having taken advantage of His people. He predicts that their day of destruction is coming because of what they did to Israel and Judah. He will destroy them. The same God who used them will now abuse them. That’s hard for us to understand. But we have to constantly remind ourselves that God is holy, righteous, and just. He always does what is right. His actions are never wrong or out of step with His holy character – even though they may appear to be to us.

God is working His redemptive plan.  One day he will make all things new, and make all things complete.  Until then, we trust in His plan.