Habakkuk 1:2 NLT
[2] “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save… “
The world, and our own country, is in such a mess that we think God has lost control. We cry out to Him but nothing changes. Sin is rife everywhere. Evil doers are becoming bolder and more blatant in their pursuit of ways to get what they want at the expense of others.
Like Habakkuk, we accuse God of inactivity, even indifference as His own people suffer along with the rest. We beg Him to do something and wait in vain for some kind of supernatural intervention that will magically straighten things out.
Let’s examine the situation from the Bible’s perspective.
Is God still in charge? The Bible assures us that He never changes and that He is always in charge in human affairs. For example, Daniel recorded event after event where God revealed His sovereignty even in Babylon where His people were in captivity. He drove history towards their restoration and repatriation for His one purpose…to bring His Son into the world.
God’s timing and ours don’t match. Only when we look back do we see how He was moving in the world to prepare for the coming of His Messiah.
Paul writes…
Romans 5:6 NLT
[6] “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME and died for us sinners.*
Galatians 4:4 NLT
[4] “But when THE RIGHT TIME came God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.”
History reveals that God was putting all the structures in place to prepare for Jesus’ coming.
We can be sure, then, that God will intervene at the right time.
God’s response to Habakkuk’s complaint is a startling reminder that God works in ways we least anticipate. His people were on a downward spiral of idolatry and wickedness. God’s way to intervene was by sending them into captivity at the hands of ruthless and cruel conquerors, the Babylonians. The outcome for the people of Judah was an abrupt end to their passion for idolatry.
“You want to worship idols! You can have them all you like, in Bsbylon!” They felt the heat of a ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, who enforced idolatry on pain of death.
As He did to Egypt, so God showed Babylon and His own people His power over those who tried to destroy them. He rendered Babylon’s dumb idols useless to stand against those who revealed a steadfast faith in the one true God. He put an arrogant world ruler in his place by sending him into insanity for a season. He brought Babylon down through more powerful nations, the Medes and Persians. He moved Israel towards conquest, occupation and oppression by the Romans.
Then Jesus came…
Is God working now?
We are assured, both by history and by God’s Word, that we can safely trust God to work in the world to fulfill His will. We need not be concerned about what is going on around us. God has not abandoned His plan to set up His kingdom on earth under the command of His Son.
Psalms 2:1-6 NLT
[1] “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? [2] The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. [3] “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” [4] But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. [5] Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. [6] For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”
Psalms 2:7-8 NLT
[7] “The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. [8] Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.”
Jesus assures us…
John 5:17 NLT
[17] But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”
Jesus said it and He doesn’t lie.
What is God doing?
We don’t know but we can be sure that..
Ephesians 1:11 NIV
[11] “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything IN CONFORMITY WITH THE PURPOSE OF HIS WILL… “
We may not see or understand what God is doing in the world, nor is it important that we do, but we can be sure that…
God is still in charge;
God is working behind the scenes to move history towards and to prepare His people for Jesus’ return;
Jesus is in charge of and working in everything in the world for the good of the church;
Ephesians 1:22 NLT
[22] “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.”
Gid is working in everything for our good;
Romans 8:28-29 NLT
[28]”And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
God’s purpose, “in all things”, everything that is going on around us and in our Iives, is to restore the image of Jesus in us.
Jesus didn’t fuss about what Rome was doing in the world or what the religious rulers were doing in Israel. His focus was on what people were doing in their response to Him. “Reject me and my teaching and you are doomed. Receive me and my teaching and you will have eternal life.”
The rest is in God’s hands.
It’s as simple as that!
John 3:16-18 NLT
[16] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [17] God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. [18] “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”