WHERE IS GOD WHEN THE WICKED PROSPER?—THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH —Hope for Today Through a Study on the Book of Habakkuk —Lesson 4

Why do the wicked prosper? Where is God when the wicked prosper? Inquiring minds want to know…minds of people like Jeremiah, Job, and David—and you and me.

 

Jeremiah wants a hearing to plead his case and to discuss matters of justice with the Judge of all judges. Jeremiah 12:1b—Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? Job (21:7) questions God to understand why the wicked live long lives only to increase in power. Last, but not least, the psalmist honestly expressed his envy seeing the prosperity of the wicked—even questioning whether living righteously was worth the trouble. Aren’t we glad that we can read and are able to then relate to the honesty of these men as they bring their concerns before the Lord?

 

Where is God when the wicked prosper? The simple answer is: He is on His throne ruling over His whole creation. For the believer asking these questions, we can’t stop there. We must then ask ourselves why we are tempted to envy the wicked. What is in our own hearts? Why would we be upset when the wicked flourish? If we’re going to keep it real, then we need to keep it 100%.

 As I said earlier, we can ask God the questions that arise in our own hearts when we see the wicked prosper, but we must also preach to ourselves because we are temporarily forgetting some important truths. Everything is not always as it seems. The Christian ought to know this better than anyone living in this world because she lives in two realms.

 

We need to remind ourselves of truths like David did in Psalm 37. Look at the commands in this psalm and the reasons to obey.

                 

Do not fret because of evildoers; be not envious toward wrongdoers.	WHY?	They will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD.	WHY?	He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him.	WHY?	He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evil doing.	WHY?	For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place, and he will not be there. But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

 

How encouraging! This is a firm foundation of truth to stand upon that quickly adjusts our perspective so we can see clearly. Habakkuk ran to God with his doubts and concerns. We must run to God’s Word for answers that provide peace for our troubled hearts. You can finish the rest of the psalm on your own. Do you get the idea that the Lord does not want His children walking around, wringing their hands and fretting? He has a reason for everything He does and allows in this world. Father knows best. Rest, children!

 

In good company, Habakkuk was wrestling with the same sort of questions.

 

1:13—Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?

 

Certainly, God does not approve evil, but it does not mean that He closes His eyes or turns His back on people when they sin. He may appear to us to tolerate sin because He is slow responding to right all wrongs (in our timing). Is it possible that we fail to understand or remember our own depths of wickedness and what we were before Christ saved us? Would we look back at our life b.c. (before Christ) and wish God had intervened quicker to judge our sinfulness? Habakkuk is basically saying: God, You can’t possibly approve of this wickedness. It’s not a question but a statement of fact. God’s holiness guarantees that He will not look favorably, tolerate, wink at, turn a blind eye to, or sanction sin. The question, then, is: Why will You use the Babylonians to chasten Your own people? It seems, on the surface, inconsistent with God’s character.

 

We must understand that as believers, there is still much sin left in us. Our flesh has not been fully redeemed. God sometimes allows the wicked to act as His instrument to purge the wickedness in us. It is for our good to discipline and chasten us. Those who yield to that chastening rod, embracing it from God’s good hand, will assure themselves that they are legitimate children of God. On the other hand, the tares will be exposed for what they are. Even in divine discipline, the Lord will never forsake His own. Christ’s cry on the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” was a manifestation of God’s hatred of sin. His suffering was intended for me…due me. In that moment of time, evil men were allowed to do whatever they wanted to do to Jesus. Fully man, the Lord expressed His feelings of abandonment, not conscious of His Father’s presence. Oh, Beloved, how we can often relate in our frail humanity. But we can know that He will never leave us or forsake us. Silence is often a strengthening exercise for our faith.

 

At the cross, all these questions were put to rest and silenced for all eternity. Do we believe? Do we trust the God who loves us enough to die for us?

 

1:14-17-21—Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler over them? The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, drag them away with their net, and gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore, they rejoice and are glad. Therefore, they offer a sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their fishing net; because through these things their catch is large, and their food is plentiful. Will they therefore empty their net and continually slay nations without sparing? I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved.

 

The Chaldeans take human life without a thought. Killing is easy for them, like second nature. Any glory for their military successes they offered and received unto themselves. Judah was helpless against them. Only God could save them, and it was He who was sending the Chaldeans. Keep in mind that while Habakkuk is pouring out his soul on behalf of his own people, the false prophets continued to spew their false and empty promises of, “Peace and safety!” (Jeremiah 6:14, 8:11, 14:13). Jeremiah’s message was, “Turn back to God!” The people continually stopped up their ears and refused to listen. God was patient; but He would only be patient for so long. The time had come to face the consequences of their sin.

 

Habakkuk returns to his watchtower and says, “I’m done. I’ll eagerly watch and wait for Your response.” More on this verse next time.

 

In earlier blog posts, we looked at these Babylonians/Chaldeans. They were full of pride and arrogance. They believed in a multitude of gods and goddesses. Bel was the head of their pantheon. Sorcery was an important part of their religion. Their priests used divination and consulted omens. This was a spiritually ignorant, spiritually blind, pagan people. Yet, they were coming against God’s people to the land where His Temple stood. And nothing would thwart their plans for it was God who had called them.

 

Like Habakkuk, we must never fail to bring all our doubts and perplexities to the Lord. We can leave them with Him and rest in knowing that He is holy, righteous, and the God who will Judge all wrongs…in His perfect time. For the believer, all things are working for her good and God’s glory. The righteous man lives by his faith in the God who is always faithful.

 

 

 

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