Scripture Guide
Habakkuk 1-2:1
THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE:
The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.
How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
… (Cont.d)
Habakkuk 1-2:1 (NIV)
At some point, we’ve all gone through a “why” phase. Maybe we’ve seen it in a child who asks endless questions, or we remember it from our own angsty teenage phase. We’ve all probably heard this answer at some point, too, “Because I said so.” Perhaps, we’ve even used it to answer a curious child ourselves! We naturally want to understand what’s happening around us. We want explanations. We want to know why things are the way they are.
Habakkuk is a fascinating book of the Bible because the whole book is a conversation between the prophet and God. Habakkuk sees his community surrounded by defeat and pain. As he cries out to God, “Why?! Why does it seem like evil is winning? Why does it seem like no right is being done in the world? Why is there no justice? Why does it seem like you’re absent, God?” God responds by telling Habakkuk that the pain he sees hasn’t taken Him by surprise. In fact, God has been and continues to be faithful in the midst of it.
Perhaps Habakkuk’s tone towards God has caught you off guard. Who would dare approach the God of the universe so brash and bold? Jerome (347–420 AD) thought the same thing: “For no one has dared with so bold a voice to challenge God to debate about justice.” There certainly is a degree of boldness in which Habakkuk approaches God, but that’s the beauty of this book. Throughout the Scriptures, one of the most consistent things we see is people who wrestle with God in prayer, and God responds.
What kind of king would welcome a lowly subject into his courts only to have that subject question him or express their grief about the evil he or she has experienced? Yet if you read the psalms, this is exactly what God saysis proper prayer and worship. We serve a King who rules with kindness and grace. Our King is a loving Father.
When we go before the Lord with all of life’s worries and pains, we’re welcomed with kindness and made aware of a certain truth: God’s sovereignly active in every square inch of the world, including every square inch of our lives. That means we can look around in our situation and believe with hope that God will do something we wouldn’t believe even if we were told (Habakkuk 1:5).
Group Discussion Guide:
Pick your favorites to discuss with your group, family, or friends.
- Where in your life are you currently asking God, “Why?” What does Habakkuk’s honesty teach us about bringing that question to God instead of hiding it?
- Habakkuk looks at the world and feels like evil is winning. Where do you feel that tension most right now, personally, culturally, or spiritually?
- Why do you think God allows Habakkuk to speak so boldly to him? What does that reveal about the kind of King and Father God is?
- What is the difference between complaining about God and lamenting to God? How can lament actually become an act of faith?
- Habakkuk 1:5 says God is doing something that Habakkuk would not believe even if he were told. Why is it hard to trust God’s work when we can’t yet understand his methods?
- Habakkuk says, “I will stand at my watch” in 2:1. What would it look like for you to wait on God faithfully instead of anxiously? What practices help you remain watchful, hopeful, and honest before him?