The book of Habakkuk begins with a very heavy burdened, saddened prophet. He looks around at his people. The tribe of Judah were the last who were standing with some hope of holding fast to their faith. But, alas; they too had turned from God. Despite the great revival lead by King Josiah; once more, evil, strife, bitterness, greed and idolatry reigned throughout the land. As shown in the previous chapters; when Habakkuk prayed, He asked God why? Why did you allow this? As though God in His Sovereignty would deny mankind the freedom of choice! However, the price of such freedom comes heavy, when the people choose evil. Did they choose evil because they hated good? I daresay that as always evil begins with pride, covetousness, lustful desires, and a turning away from God to seek after other idols.
That was what happened to the nation of Judah. Although, God declared that an even more evil nation would overtake them; that nation too would fall because of the same evil within. Matthew Henry in his commentary of Habakkuk 2:5-14 wrote: “The prophet reads the doom of all proud and oppressive powers that bear hard upon God’s people. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, are the entangling snares of men; and we find him that led Israel captive, himself led captive by each of these.”1
BEGINNING SOURCE OF ALL EVIL
Evil always has its beginning in pride within the hearts of individuals. Was that not the downfall of Satan, himself?
15 “‘You were perfect in all you did from the day you were created until that time when wrong was found in you. 16 Your great wealth filled you with internal turmoil, and you sinned. Therefore, I cast you out of the mountain of God like a common sinner. I destroyed you, O Guardian Angel, from the midst of the stones of fire.[c] 17 Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
Therefore, I have cast you down to the ground and exposed you helpless before the curious gaze of kings. 18 You defiled your holiness with lust for gain;[d] therefore, I brought forth fire from your own actions* and let it burn you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all those watching you. 19 All who know you are appalled at your fate; you are an example of horror; you are destroyed forever.’” Ezekiel 28: 15-19 (TLB)
And such was the beginning of evil within Satan’s heart of pride where covetousness, lust desires, and idolatry began. Although, we are foretold of the end as well.
THE BEGINNING AND THE ULTIMATE END OF EVIL
How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground—mighty though you were against the nations of the world. 13 For you said to yourself, “I will ascend to heaven and rule the angels.[a] I will take the highest throne. I will preside on the Mount of Assembly far away in the north.* 14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.”
15 But instead, you will be brought down to the pit of hell, down to its lowest depths. 16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask, “Can this be the one who shook the earth and the kingdoms of the world? 17 Can this be the one who destroyed the world and made it into a shambles, who demolished its greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?” Isaiah 14 (TLB)
Since then, Satan draws the hearts of men and women to him by the same means. Was that not the appeal he made to Eve and Adam, leading them to desire the forbidden fruit of the tree of good and evil? He suggested they could be like God; if only they ate? Wouldn’t a loving God give you all your heart’s desire? (Genesis 3:1-6 paraphrased) Now, since sin entered the world; we are born with hearts bent toward sin. Our only hope is to accept the atoning sacrificial gift of salvation that God has provided. “The just shall live by faith!” (Habakkuk 2:4).
WHAT ABOUT AMERICA? HOW ARE WE BREEDING SUCH EVIL?
Is it not selfish pride within the hearts of individuals that breeds such evil? National pride is different, if we hold fast to the principles on which we were founded. When we as a nation, remember that we were founded on the principle of God being the Supreme Judge. Look at our Preamble to the constitution.
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Combine that with the preamble to the Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Preamble to the Declaration of Independence
When we forget that faith in God was a cornerstone principle. Or when we ignore that part of the principle elements of government are to “establish justice and insure domestic tranquility”. Then, we allow evil to enter our nation. We must consider the ultimate consequences of our promotion of self-aggrandizement of individuals. When we sit idly by while our nation murders babies before they are born in the name of “women’s rights”. If we accept as legitimate people’s protests calling for the death of cops without feeling outraged. After all, they are the very ones who establish justice and insure domestic tranquility. Or if we sit quietly when our freedom to worship God where ever we are is being squelched; then, we should not be surprised as evil grows within the nation we live.
JOHN PIPER WROTE
Those who resist God are “storing up wrath for themselves on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5). On that day it will appear clearly to all how utterly naïve it was for millions of people to live their lives as though the God who made this world for his glory would never call them to account for how little he has meant to them.
It squares with Scripture, and it squares with reason: “He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31). Therefore, I urge you to ask yourself: Would I gain my life before a holy God if I died tonight? Am I ready to take my stand in the divine courtroom and hear the Judge pass an eternal sentence on me? There will only be two verdicts in that day, and one or the other of them will be passed on every person: either “condemned” or “justified,” hell or heaven, eternal death or eternal life
Habakkuk taught us that when judgment comes the just shall live by his faith. And when that seed comes to full flower in the New Testament, we see that the reason the just live by faith is that the just are justified by faith. As Paul puts it (and with this invitation I close), “They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:24).
GOD’s Word: The Just Shall Live by Faith
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.. .What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
“God declares sinners to be good in his sight if they have faith in Christ to save them from God’s wrath.[a]King David spoke of this, describing the happiness of an undeserving sinner who is declared “not guilty”[b] by God. “Blessed and to be envied,” he said, “are those whose sins are forgiven and put out of sight. Yes, what joy there is for anyone whose sins are no longer counted against him by the Lord.”[c] (Romans 4:5-8, TLB)
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
Let us as a nation, bow before God’s mighty throne. In repentance for our individual sins and the sins of our nation, let us pray. Laying aside our selfish pride, seeking God’s will for our lives and for our nation. Once more, let us take a stand for righteousness, teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to our neighbors; before it is too late.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. Because there is nothing more important than this, I urge you to seek Him today.
OR ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?
If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here or comment here
OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE
If you want to know more about books I have written: You can read more about each one at: Book Resources.
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
1Matthew Henry, “Matthew Henry Commentary: Habakkuk 2:5-14,” biblehub, accessed October 4, 2017, http://biblehub.com/habakkuk/2-5.htm
2John Piper, “The Just Shall Live by Faith”, October 31, 1982, DesiringGod.org., accessed October 4, 2017, http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-just-shall-live-by-faith