“When The Wicked Are Winning”
Habakkuk 2:4-20
Sermon Series: “Where Is God?”
Introduction: The world is full of injustice. In fact, it is always going to seem like the wicked are winning. It did to Habakkuk, and it will to us, but God calls us to trust Him. In verses 5-20 of chapter 2, God continues His answer to Habakkuk’s second question. In these verses, we see that even though God is using the Chaldeans to deal with His people that He will bring judgment upon them also.
Here is an overview of this section by James Montgomery Boice, “The way of the righteous is the way of faith in God. The way of the wicked is the way of drawing back from faith in God. The first submits to God and trusts God. The second submits to no one. The person who chooses the second way is arrogant. He says, ‘I don’t need religion. I can take care of myself. I can do without God.’ The bulk of this chapter shows the course and dismal end of the ungodly. In 2:6-20 we find what scholars call a ‘taunt song.’ It is the kind of song that a once-oppressed people might direct against its former oppressor. Often taunt songs begin with the word ‘woe’ or ‘alas.’ In this case, there are five occurrences of the word ‘woe,’ each of which marks a stanza within the song. The first woe is in verse 6; the stanza it introduces is in verses 6-8. The second woe introduces verses 9-11. The third woe introduces verses 12-14. The fourth woe introduces verses 15-17. The final stanza encompasses verses 18-20, but the woe comes in the middle in verse 19. These five stanzas show the misery of the person or nation that thinks it can do without God.” Here are the five sins God accuses them of:
1. Greed that produces violence (v. 6-8)
2. Covetousness that produces injustice (v. 9-11)
3. Exploitation of people that produces violence (v. 12-14)
4. Drunkenness that produces exploitation and violence (v. 15-17) 5. Idolatry that produces deception (v. 18-20)
So, based on God’s answer to Habakkuk, here are three truths to remember when it seems like the wicked are winning.
1. God’s judgment is certain. The word “woe” is used five times, and it means judgment. In verse 16, God says to them (in the context of calling them out for using drunkenness to produce nakedness), “You are filled with shame instead of glory. You also- drink! And be exposed as circumcised! The cup of the Lord’s right hand will be turned against you, and utter shame will be on your glory.” God will judge all sin. We will either trust Jesus and allow Him to pay our sin debt and appease the wrath of God for us, or we will pay for our sins by experiencing the wrath of God forever in hell. Part of the reason it seems like the wicked are winning is that God disciplines His children now while he is calling the wicked to repentance. We are to join God in working for justice in the world and for the salvation of those apart from Jesus.
2. God’s Kingdom is coming (v. 13-14). The earth being filled with the glory of the Lord is a reference to the millennial kingdom that Jesus will set up on the earth when he returns. Verse 13 tells us that what man does is vain and will be wiped away while the Kingdom of God will last forever. Therefore, the wicked appear to be winning, but it is an illusion that Jesus will wipe away.
3. God’s Son is ruling (v. 20). Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). God is on His throne and in control, even though it often does not seem that way because He lets people make choices and is gracious toward us.
Main Idea:
Application: If you don’t know Jesus, humble yourself and trust Him before it is too late so you don’t experience the wrath of God. If you are a Christian, see life, especially the injustice in the world, through God’s eternal point of view. Work for justice in the world and the salvation of sinners.
Main idea: It is always going to seem like the wicked are winning because God is waiting to fully deal with them in order to give them a chance to repent, but the reality is that Jesus won the victory on the cross, is Lord over all right now, and will someday return to consummate the victory and judge His enemies.
