“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. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour; they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; by building earthen ramps they capture them. Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—guilty people, whose own strength is their god.” (Habakkuk 1:5-8)
“My god would never…”
Today’s passage is God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question about how long it would be before God did something about the corruption Habakkuk saw. First, God answered Habakkuk’s question. How long? During Habakkuk’s lifetime. But God goes further. He tells Habakkuk what is going to happen.
And this is what sets our minds to spinning. God is good. God is omnipotent. God is love. So how could God raise up the Babylonians, let alone letting them invade the land God gave to the Israelites? If you read about the Babylonians, you’ll find they weren’t exactly kind. Yet God says, “I am raising up the Babylonians…guilty people, whose own strength is their god.” He would use them to accomplish His goals.
What sort of goals could He accomplish by having his people dragged away from their home as slaves? One is that when one is taken away from what is familiar, and oppressed, one tends to focus on basics and essentials. Another is to separate them from the bad habits they’ve built. The poor leadership established would have a chance to learn better leadership skills.
The stuff that we claim our god would never – He does. He allows evil because He can bring good through it.
Today’s passage is God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question about how long it would be before God did something about the corruption Habakkuk saw. First, God answered Habakkuk’s question. How long? During Habakkuk’s lifetime. But God goes further. He tells Habakkuk what is going to happen.
And this is what sets our minds to spinning. God is good. God is omnipotent. God is love. So how could God raise up the Babylonians, let alone letting them invade the land God gave to the Israelites? If you read about the Babylonians, you’ll find they weren’t exactly kind. Yet God says, “I am raising up the Babylonians…guilty people, whose own strength is their god.” He would use them to accomplish His goals.
What sort of goals could He accomplish by having his people dragged away from their home as slaves? One is that when one is taken away from what is familiar, and oppressed, one tends to focus on basics and essentials. Another is to separate them from the bad habits they’ve built. The poor leadership established would have a chance to learn better leadership skills.
The stuff that we claim our god would never – He does. He allows evil because He can bring good through it.
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