January 17, 2010 Habakkuk 1:12-2:5

Habakkuk 1:1-11

 1 The oracle that Habakkuk  the prophet saw. 2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?  Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. 5 "Look at the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. 7 They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like a vulture swooping to devour; 9 they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand.10 They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; they build earthen ramps and capture them.11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on-guilty men, whose own strength is their god.

During a very difficult time when Judah had turned away from God, though Habakkuk recognizes Judah's sin, he still complains to God.

1.         What did Habakkuk see (vs.3 & 4), and what did he do about it? (v. 2)  When have you acted the same way?

2.         What was God about to do?  (v.6) Describe the Chaldeans (v. 6-10) and how God would respond to them. (v. 11)  How would this affect Habakkuk? (v. 5)

4.      Put yourself in Habakkuk's shoes.  Do you ever find yourself questioning the wisdom and plan of God?  Recall a time when you could not make sense of what God was doing in your life.  How did you respond to God in the midst of those circumstances?

5.      When we approach God to question Him, what must we be prepared for? (consider Job 38; 40:6-9)  Taking our cues from Job, how might we respond to God's answers to our questioning? (consider Job 40:3-5; 42:1-6)

Take some time to praise God for who He is-no matter what the circumstances.