Threats – Violence, destruction, war – serious problem in the late 7th Century BC – why does God not intervene? A fundamental question for Habakkuk.
Just over a hundred years ago, the northern ten tribes fell to the Assyrian empire, the Assyrian assault ending at the very gates of Jerusalem – That was then, and now a mightier empire is coming – The Babylonian empire has conquered the Assyrian Empire – and now Babylon’s army is marching – looking south toward – coming towards Jerusalem. The nation is at risk of ruin.
The prophet’s cry rings to God – “Destruction and violence are before me;” – “Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?” The question comes to the fore – God, why do you not intervene? Why do you not save your people from this mess?
There may be no army marching for our north – yet, too many, Habakkuk’s cry rings true today. There is war in Europe, leaving thousands of dead and millions displaced. Cultural sites bombed, a people under siege.
Closer to home - Violence in Cities, Political discord, division and polarization. The most prosperous country, yet the poor are all around. Some evils come to be called good. Some goods are declared evil. Personal reproductive autonomy becomes the highest good – marriage and family are pushed to the sidelines. Personal feelings seem to have become the arbiter of the good – God is pushed away, denied, and avoided – Church attendance down, parishes closing, society less religious each year – As Nietzsche once said – God is dead, and we have killed him. – it sometimes seems that Nietzsche has described our world today - O God, why do you not intervene? Take action to save this world - O God, Save us, your church, your people! – Even in a very different time and a very different situation, our cry is not so different from Habakkuk’s
Yet there is no clear answer –God does give Habakkuk reason for hope – “the just one, because of his faith, shall live.” – Yet, in the early 6th Century BC, it does not seem like it. The enemy marches south – nothing in their path to stop them.
For Jerusalem, the fear of the Babylonian army is proven to be valid. Jerusalem falls – the nation is sent into exile. The temple is destroyed. God’s people scattered - The Davidic line of kings seems to be ended. All seems lost – what of God’s promises? What of his covenant? O God, why do you not intervene?
Maybe not how Habakkuk or anyone else expected, but God did intervene – God’s promises and his covenant? Fulfillment did come – just not when or where expected. - not directly against the invading army. – For several hundred years later, there was a child born in a manger in Bethlehem – a child of the house of David – A King, the Son of God – come to fulfill the old covenant – to make a new covenant. A new covenant in his body and blood. Not only to save the nation of Israel but to save the world, bring the forgiveness of sins, leading all back to himself – opening the gates of Heaven.
God did intervene. But not in the way or when many would of like – we do not know why God decided to wait for the time he did – but God’s action was far beyond what anyone would have asked for. Not mere deliverance from an army – but deliverance from sin and death. “If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.” For those who held in faith – God’s intervention was beyond imaging
This is true for Habakkuk – and so it is today. There are many problems in the world – and we rightfully pray to God for them. We also rightly work to face them. We work for peace. We vote – against evils and for the good. We do corporal acts of mercy – we evangelize - But our hope is not based on our efforts – It is not us who will turn around something going in the wrong direction. It is God’s intervention and his promise. – For Christ has said he will come again at the end of time – that all will be made right – and he knows that he is good - and we can be patient for Christ.
Why does God delay? We do not know – just as Habakkuk did not know – but God does answer our prayer - His promise is secure – He will come. No matter how the world goes – no matter how ugly things get – – no matter the claims that God is Dead – he is not – and will have patients, trusting there is a reason for any delay, knowing that “if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.”