Pastor Nam Park.
Commissioning of Ray & Shelley today...
In honor of Shelley: Purple tie.
In honor of Ray: Preaching from Habakkuk; Ray taught from Habakkuk and it was a vivid memory for Nam.
Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my inward parts trembled,
At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.
Prayer: Today we consider what it means to "walk by faith." How do we live this out in the face of uncertainty? As we send Ray and Shelley off, help us to have this faith. We thank You for men like Habakkuk, we thank You for the example of hanging on when life can get rough; so that we might find a similar courage, not because of who we are, but because of who our God is. We praise You and ask that You instruct us, by your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.
Comic books: Favorite characters are like Superman. Yet, as you become more savvy in comic books, you start to gravitate towards heros more like you. You start to appreciate the heros more vulnerable and more than anything with unusual courage. Nam liked Daredevil: Man without fear.
The prophet that exemplifies "Man without fear" is Habakkuk.
After Solomon, the kingdom was divided in half. Northern kingdom was made up of 10 tribes, called "Israel." Southern kingdom was made up of Judah and Benjamin, called "Judah" and out of the Southern kingdom came the line of David (out of Judah).
- Most kings were wicked.
- In this time period, before Judah is taken into captivity by Babylon... we find Habakkuk ministering to the Southern kingdom.
- Other than that, we know nothing of Habakkuk than what is written here in these few pages.
- Unsung hero that does his task, and then disappears.
One of the most significant contributions is found here:
Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, as for the proud one,
His soul is not right within him;
But the righteous will live by his faith.
- Paul uses this phrase in the new testament- Faith is the means by which righteousness is accomplished
- Habakkuk himself demonstrates this fireproof faith.
- Inevitable that we will encounter calamity. In that moment, can we look to the fireproof faith of Habakkuk; a faith courageous to endure all.
Such a faith Submits to the plan of God. A Loving trust.
Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my inward parts trembled,
At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
- "inward parts:" physical demonstration of nervousness.
- Certain things make Habakkuk anxious (based on what he has heard; what God has spoken, concerning the things to come)
Habakkuk 1:2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help,Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
- "inward parts:" physical demonstration of nervousness.
- Certain things make Habakkuk anxious (based on what he has heard; what God has spoken, concerning the things to come)
And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do not save.
3 Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
4 Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do not save.
3 Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
4 Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.
5 “Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days—
You would not believe if you were told.
6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce and impetuous people
Who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days—
You would not believe if you were told.
6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce and impetuous people
Who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
- Answer: Not much longer, in fact, the Chaldeans/Babylonians (~586B.C.) are being raised up even now.
- Habakkuk is questioning God: How can you use a more wicked people to reprove God's people. Why look with favor on those that are wicked (Chaldeans/Babylonians).
- Habakkuk is like us, he just doesn't get God's plan.
- God's answer: No one gets away with any sin, but will be judged in their own time. God will punish all the wicked.
Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my inward parts trembled,
At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
- Struggling for things of war that will take place. Habakkuk knows the distress about to come.Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
- Suggests that Habakkuk probably died with the people there.
- "wait quietly": not just not being audible, but rather "settled" in a certain place like concrete. I will choose to submit to the sovereign will of God. I will sit in confidence that I am rescued by my God. The righteous will walk by faith, submitting to the plan of God.
Habakkuk 2:19 “Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’
To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
And that is your teacher?
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
And there is no breath at all inside it.
20 “But the Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.”
- Let all idols "shut-up" because they are not real.
- Let the righteous live by faith in a submissive trust in the plan of God.
Rejoice in God's Person.
Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
- This is the example of fireproof faith.
- What if you had no figs??? A: that's okay.
- What if there is no fruit on the vine??? A: that's a bit more serious. No sanitation for drinking water.
- What if you had no olives??? A: more serious, the oil that is used to cook. The oil used to light their lanterns at night.
- What if there's no food??? A: famine.
- No sheep: Wool for clothing. Primary source of meat.
- No cattle: And all other large beast of burden. These animals were essential to planning for the future. AKA: No hope for the next generation.
Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
- Habakkuk is expressing the VOLITIONAL CHOICE of how he will react.
- Faith, lived out, in the midst of calamity.
- It's a big deal, I might die, but I will CHOOSE to exult/proclaim the greatness of the Lord.
- I will not curl up in a ball, but REJOICE in the God of my salvation.
- Thought: How I go up in this life, is up to Him.
Life Guards: If they drag the life guard under, knock the person unconscious and then bring them in. Thousand have been rescued in this manner. They will ultimately be thankful that they were knocked out, because they were saved.
Lean on His Provision.
Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.
Lean on His Provision.
Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.
- Small Caps: GOD. Stands in place of YWYH.
- Emphasis: He is in control.
- No one is getting away with anything, they will each pay for their wickedness: either themselves or with the blood of Christ.
- Male deers are called "harts" and Female deer are called "hinds" and they hop on cliff-like surfaces. Hinds are able to balance and even hop in treacherous places. I can then get to the top of the mountain.
His sovereignty becomes our sanity.
