GETTING READY FOR THE WEEK
SUNDAY, JUNE 22
READING: HABAKKUK 2:2-20
If you’re just jumping in with us, let’s recap the book and the prophet Habakkuk: he served as a prophet for the people of Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel) from 612 BC to 588 BC. He witnessed the disaster and destruction caused by the Babylonians around him, especially when they conquered the Assyrian nation, which had dominated the Northern Kingdom of Israel years earlier. Chaos was all around him, and it seemed that God was nowhere to be found. Habakkuk prays to God, seeking answers about His justice, mercy, and restoration. God responds, initiating a dialogue between the two, and we receive the book of Habakkuk.
This week focuses on the Lord’s answer to Habakkuk’s prayers, primarily the five “woes” that God lays out. Habakkuk’s prayers have been honest and insightful, praising God for His power and goodness while also acknowledging that, to him, God’s plan does not make sense. However, he resolves to wait to see what the Lord will do, as God has commanded. This prompts God to remind Habakkuk that justice always comes. It may not appear as he desires or be delivered at the timing he prefers, but God is indeed a God of justice and mercy, both for nations and individuals. He offers warnings and opportunities to repent, but it is ultimately the individual's choice to turn back. In His revelation to Habakkuk, God presents five “woes,” or warnings of judgment, which are destined for the Babylonians and hold relevance for us today. Each day, we will examine a woe and how we might be affected by the consequences of the sins that the “woes” warn against.
This week focuses on the Lord’s answer to Habakkuk’s prayers, primarily the five “woes” that God lays out. Habakkuk’s prayers have been honest and insightful, praising God for His power and goodness while also acknowledging that, to him, God’s plan does not make sense. However, he resolves to wait to see what the Lord will do, as God has commanded. This prompts God to remind Habakkuk that justice always comes. It may not appear as he desires or be delivered at the timing he prefers, but God is indeed a God of justice and mercy, both for nations and individuals. He offers warnings and opportunities to repent, but it is ultimately the individual's choice to turn back. In His revelation to Habakkuk, God presents five “woes,” or warnings of judgment, which are destined for the Babylonians and hold relevance for us today. Each day, we will examine a woe and how we might be affected by the consequences of the sins that the “woes” warn against.