Why Doesn’t God Stop Evil?
Lessons from Habakkuk
Why Doesn’t God Stop Evil?
Lessons from Habakkuk
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Setting the Stage
Habakkuk to God: Why don’t You stop evil?
God: You would be amazed at what I am doing
Habakkuk: I can’t believe your ways
God: Be patient, the righteous live by faith
Habakkuk: I will be patient and rejoice in God
How Then Should We Live
Putting It All Together
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Wicked King Jehoiakim
Assyria fading, Babylon rising
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Wicked King Jehoiakim
Assyria fading, Babylon rising
“1:1. The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. 2. O Lord, how
long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you
Violence! And you will not save? 3. Why do you make me see
iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and
violence are before them; strife and contention arise. 4. So the law
is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked
surround the righteous, so justice goes forth perverted.”
“1:5. Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if
told. 6. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans that bitter and
hasty nation who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize
dwellings not their own… swift to devour…they all come for
violence….gather captives like sand….they laugh at every
fortress…guilty men whose own might is their god!”
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The Lord is not surprised by Habakkuk’s
comments. The omniscient Lord knows exactly
what it going on. Hebrews 4:13, Psalms 139
Our sovereign God has a plan and He is
actively involved in making that plan reality
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For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will
annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will
turn it back. Isaiah 14:27
My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish my
purpose…I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass I
have purposed, and I will do it. Isaiah 46:10-11
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…He does according to His will among the host of
heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and
none can stay his hand or say to Him, “What have
you done?” Daniel 4:35
In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having
been predestined according to the purpose of him
who works all things according to the counsel of his
will. Ephesians 1:11
And I am sure of this, that He who began a good
work in you will bring it to completion in the Day of
Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
For who can know the mind of the Lord, or
who has been His counselor? Romans 11:35
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All authority comes from God
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For there is no authority except from God, and those
that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1
[God] removes kings and sets up kings. Daniel 2:21
The plans of God may include the use of
wicked people and nations
1:12 “Are you [God] not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy
One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them
[Babylon] as judgment, and you , O Rock, have established them
for reproof. 13. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and
cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain
silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than
he? 14. You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling
things that have no ruler. 15. He brings all of them up with a
hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his
dragnet so he rejoices and is glad. 16. Therefore he sacrifices to
his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in
luxury, and his food is rich. 17. Is he then to keep on emptying
his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? I will take my
stand at the watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look
out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer
concerning my complaint.”
1:12 “Are you [God] not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy
One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them
[Babylon] as judgment, and you , O Rock, have established them
for reproof. 13. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and
cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain
silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than
he? 14. You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling
things that have no ruler. 15. He brings all of them up with a
hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his
dragnet so he rejoices and is glad. 16. Therefore he sacrifices to
his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in
luxury, and his food is rich. 17. Is he then to keep on emptying
his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? I will take my
stand at the watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look
out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer
concerning my complaint.”
“2:2 The Lord answered me; Write the vision; make it plain on
tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3. For still the vision awaits
its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems
slow wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4. Behold,
his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the
righteous shall live by his faith. 5. Moreover, wine is a traitor, an
arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol;
like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations
and collects as his own all peoples. 6. …Woe to him who heaps
up what is not his own…. 9. Woe to him who gets evil gain for his
house…. 12. Woe to him who builds a town with blood and
founds a city on iniquity…. 15. Woe to him who makes his
neighbors drink…. 19. Woe to him who says to a wooden thing,
Awake….
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The events in God’s plan will most certainly
happen, but at the perfect appointed time
The Lord hates puffed up prideful people
In contrast, the righteous are not about
themselves but live by faith in God
God will judge the wicked at the appointed
time
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The events in God’s plan will most certainly
happen, but at the perfect appointed time
The Lord hates puffed up prideful people
In contrast, the righteous are not about
themselves but live by faith in God
God will judge the wicked at the appointed
time
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The events in God’s plan will most certainly
happen, but at the perfect appointed time
The Lord hates puffed up prideful people
In contrast, the righteous are not about
themselves but live by faith in God
God will judge the wicked at the appointed
time
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Habakkuk 2:4 …the righteous shall live by his
faith
Romans 1:17 …as it is written, “the righteous
[just] will live by faith.”
Galatians 3:11 …for “the righteous shall live by
faith.”
Hebrews 10:38 but my righteous one shall live
[endure] by faith
3:2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work , O Lord,
do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the
years make it known; in wrath remember mercy…. 16. I hear, and
my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters
into my bones; my legs trembles beneath me. Yet I will quietly
wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
17. Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the
vines…18. yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God
of my salvation. 19. God, the Lord of my strength; he makes my
feet like the deer’s he makes me tread on my high places.
3:2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work , O Lord,
do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the
years make it known; in wrath remember mercy…. 16. I hear, and
my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters
into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly
wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
17. Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the
vines…18. yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God
of my salvation. 19. God, the Lord of my strength; he makes my
feet like the deer’s he makes me tread on my high places.
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Live by faith
Don’t worry, “be still and know that I am God”
God loves us/cares for us and has a plan for
our lives
With respect to government:
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Obey; 1 Peter 2:13, Romans 13:1 Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities
Pray; 1 Timothy 2:1-2 …I urge that…prayers…be
made…. for kings and all those in high positions
Pay taxes; Pay to all what is owed to them, taxes to
whom taxes is due…Romans 13:7
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Live by faith
Don’t worry, “be still and know that I am God”
God loves us/cares for us and has a plan for
our lives
With respect to government:
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Obey; 1 Peter 2:13, Romans 13:1 Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities
Pray; 1 Timothy 2:1-2 …I urge that…prayers…be
made…. for kings and all those in high positions
Pay taxes; Pay to all what is owed to them, taxes to
whom taxes is due…Romans 13:7
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What should we know:
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The Lord has a plan for the ages
God establishes and uses nations as He wishes
Remember, who can know the mind of the Lord?
Rest assured, all wickedness will be judged
At the appointed time things will happen
How should we live?
Live by faith
 Because God loves us/cares for us and has a plan for our
eternal lives
 Therefore, don’t worry, be patient, “be still and know that
I am God”
 With respect to government; obey, pray and pay taxes
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What should we know:
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The Lord has a plan for the ages
God establishes and uses nations as He wishes
Remember, who can know the mind of the Lord?
Rest assured, all wickedness will be judged
At the appointed time things will happen
How then should we live?
Live by faith
 Because God loves us/cares for us and has a plan for our
eternal lives
 Therefore, don’t worry, be patient, “be still and know that
I am God”
 With respect to government; obey, pray and pay taxes
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