Rejoicing Through the Darkness

One of the most common questions I hear today is “if the God is real, then why is the world so bad…why do bad people get away with their evil deeds?” Even Christians will ask when God will judge the evil of this world. I can go off in numerous directions with both of these questions, but instead I want to focus on a book in the Old Testament written by the prophet Habakkuk.

It is a wonderful, short book of the Bible in which Habakkuk has a literal one-on-one conversation with God. Habukkuk came to God with a simple question: how much longer would He allow Israel's sins to go unpunished.

Habakkuk: “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help and you will not hear? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted." – Habakkuk 1:2-4

God answered Habakkuk's question by telling him not to worry, because He was going to send Babylon to overthrow them because of their wicked “iniquity” (be careful what you pray for).

God: “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.
For behold, I am rising up the Chaldeans [the rulers of Babylon], that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 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 every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”
- Habakkuk 1:5-6, 9-11

This wasn't exactly what Habakkuk was hoping to hear. He becomes upset and asks God how He could allow a nation, whose sins were far greater than theirs, to punish them. God calmly answers Habakkuk telling him that He knows the sins of Babylon and that they will be given their due in time.

Habakkuk: “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” – Habakkuk 1:13

God: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

– Habakkuk 2:2-4

In the remainder of chapter two, God clearly explains how He will deal with Babylon at the “appointed time”.

Habakkuk is humbled (and probably a bit embarrassed that he tried to pick an argument with God) and thinks back over God’s provision to Israel in the past and all of His great deeds. He states in 3:2 "Lord, I have heard the report about you and I fear O Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy." Habakkuk went on to say at the end of the chapter that he trembles knowing what is to come and in having to wait for it. Even though life was about to get really bad under the rule of the Babylonians, Habakkuk says in verse 18 "Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation."

Despite the fact that Israel was about to be trampled and taken into captivity by Babylon, Habakkuk says that he will still praise God. Why? Because God is sovereign. God is never changing. God knows all things that are to come and they all play into His plan.

People often confuse horrible events as God’s fault. First, horrible events are a result of sin. God gave us free will to choose to follow Him or not. People can choose right or wrong, light or darkness. Sadly, many chose the darkness just as Jesus said they would…“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” – John 3:19 WE are born with sin, this evil, in our hearts and we choose how we’re going to handle that darkness. That said, God can take these “horrible events” and use them for His glory.

The Bible is mainly comprised of such stories: Joseph’s brothers beat and sold him into slavery before he became second in command of Egypt, being able to provide food and a home to his family and the nations during a horrible famine. “But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many peopleshould be kept alive, as they are today.’” – Genesis 50:19-20

Samson continuously sinned against God but was used to destroy many Philistines before his death.

Paul led the charge to end the rise of Christianity. He beat them, jailed them and killed them…then went on to become the world’s greatest missionary writing the bulk of the New Testament. Horrible situations can be used by God and the people who choose darkness can always turn to The Light.

God has been and always will be in control. Though sin has permeated this world, though people are blind to His truth - God is still God.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will
stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

“That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.” – Isaiah 45:6-7

Regardless of what happens in the years to come, God is still God. Those who are faithful to Him will not be deserted. Those people and nations that continue to pursue evil will be dealt…in His time. Until then, take ahold of that fact, friends, and continue with the mission that He has given us - bringing others into His grace. For answers on this topic, please visit this website.

We should all step back from focusing on the evil of the world and do as Habakkuk did – recall all the wonderful things God has already done in our lives and then exalt and rejoice in the God of our salvation.

Grace and peace be with you….